Bicoastal twins share their notes and thoughts about anything and everything.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Remembering Our Family Veterans

Hayley turns 15 next week. That's about the age Jotham Nute from our ancestral family enlisted as a New Hampshire soldier in the Revolution under the command of Colonel George Reid. I figure he was following his 27 year old brother, Samuel, our direct ancestor, after Samuel signed the Colony of New Hampshire 1776 Revolutionary War Proposal and went into the army himself.

In consequence of the resolution of the, Honorable Continental Congress, and to show our determination in joining with our American brethren in defending the lives, liberties, and properties of the inhabitants of the United Colonies, We, the Subscribers do hereby solemnly engage and promise that we will to the utmost of our power, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, with arms, oppose the hostile proceedings of the British fleets and armies, against the United American Colonies.

I haven't yet been able to trace the path of Samuel through his battles, but young Jotham was captured at the battle of Hubbardton as the American forces were withdrawing from Fort Ticondaroga. I just finished Diana Gabaldon's page turning account of this encounter with the British and Hessians. Perhaps our Jotham came across Jamie Fraser. He would have been a lad of only seventeen. Likely killed himself a couple bears by then, but the fighting and being captured by the enemy must have been scary for a young boy.

Somehow Jotham escaped or was released by the British as he shows up later with his company in New York. He rose to the rank of sargeant and was wounded in the hip by a musket ball "where it still continues" according to the pension. His wound happened "in a very severe skirmish near Kingsbridge in which one fifth part of my Party were killed or wounded". Kingsbridge was that strategic part of Manhattan George Washington and his boys were trying to defend against the British. Sargeant Nute mustered out of the army in 1781 after his injury, now a seasoned veteran of twenty two. His merit for "faithful service" was signed by George Washington. His grandson, Alonzo, fought with the New Hampshire Sixth Regiment for the Union and went on to Congress in 1888.